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Katie Mayo

stoke is my strength

My first trad rack

climber

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kmayo8

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I always wanted to sound like a wind chime, so I bought a trad rack.

Wanna know something embarrassing? I bought my first rack because of the name for the cams, rather than because of functionality.

I wanted Wild Country (WC) gear because I thought it would be cooler to refer to my rack as my “friends”. Plus, I appreciated the euro factor.

The other popular option new trad climbers were buying at the time was Black Diamond (BD). The BD cams were more popular in California, for new trad climbers. And I had never used WC friends when I purchased my rack.

I wanted to be different, and not just so I could tell my gear apart easily, so I went for it. I wouldn’t recommend such a shallow reason for purchasing gear to anyone now, but luckily I ended up loving my friends.

I wouldn’t change it. Now I have a mix of brands from “bootied” gear and other purchases.

climbing on a friend's cams

Notes on WC friends:

  • Extendable sling, so you don’t necessarily have to add an alpine draw to extend
  • Slightly wider than BD cams when fully cammed, which is great for fitting in a slightly wider crack… but not so great when your climbing partner inadvertently over-cams your gear!
  • No #5+ available, for you offwidth freaks (me too guys)
  • The paint lasts longer than the paint on BD cams, aka they look shiny longer… you might catch flak for that at first, but after a couple years, it’s kinda nice for the colors to ~pop~ when you’re cruxing out and reaching for a piece

What I bought was a product of where I trad climbed at the time: mostly Tahquitz, Joshua Tree, and the Sierra. I would definitely take into account the locations where you climb when you’re shopping if you’re in the market for your first rack.

What I bought:

  • A set of WC wires 1-11
  • A nut tool, I like the Pro-key because it has a leash, so you don’t need to worry about dropping it (amazon, backcountry via rendezvu)
    • Tip: Clip the whole thing to a nut placement if your follower doesn’t have a nut tool on them.
  • A set of zero WC friends: #.1, #.2, & #.3 (amazon, backcountry via rendezvu)
  • A double set of WC friends from .4 – #3 (amazon, backcountry via rendezvu)
    • Tip: If you’re climbing with a partner, you can each buy a single, and when you climb together – you’ll have a double! Plus it provides a buffer that you climb with others at a similar (or higher) level of experience while you’re still learning.
  • A #4 (amazon, backcountry via rendezvu)
  • A WC rack pack of carabiners – a fun fact I did not know when I bought my rack was that it does not come with carabiners to rack the cams/friends with – you buy them separately. (amazon, backcountry via rendezvu)
    • Tip: Match the colors so it’s easy to find the size you need.
  • Ten Mammut alpine draws
  • An 8mm cordelette
  • Several Mammut Lockers – because they have the orange indicator that easily shows if it’s locked (amazon, backcountry via rendezvu)

Things I already had:

climbing butt shot

What I’d do instead, if I were to do it again:

My rack has served me well and kept me alive… so I’d do almost the same thing, with just a few tweaks. Here are the modifications and additions I’d make:

  1. Instead of a double of WC friends, I’d get a single of friends and single of either BD cams or aliens for the same sizes.
    • Mixing brands would give me more “wiggle room” for finding the perfect fit in any crack, because the same sizes are slightly different across brands.
  2. I’d add a set of DMM offset nuts (backcountry via rendezvu)
  3. I’d add a black totem 🙂 (backcountry via rendezvu)

My recommendations for climbers buying their first rack:

  • Climb on your (human) friends’ gear before making a brand choice. Climb on enough different gear so that you have a preference before you invest $1k.
  • I advise against the ultralight gear. If you’re just starting trad climbing, I think it’s unwise to climb something where a couple extra pounds is the difference between success and failure, IMO. One of my favorite phrases when I over pack: “I’m doing it for the fitness.”
  • Get a single rack in the sizes you climb most first, then supplement it.
  • Label it with SPECIFIC nail polish or tape RIGHT AWAY.

Shop from the list: https://www.rendezvu.co/katie-mayo/your-first-trad-rack

FAQs:

Why not BD/Totem/Alien/Metolius/etc.? You can, if you prefer. Choose whichever brand makes you happiest when you’re climbing.

Do I need hexes? Offsets? Big Bros? a #5? You’re gonna need a Big Purp #placepurps. JK it all depends on where you climb and what you like to climb. Not having what you need and rising to the occasion is what makes you a better climber, more prepared the next time.

Can I buy used? Yes, but check the wires out, squeeze the triggers, look for damage, check the year on the soft goods. Slings should be replaced if they’re older than 5(ish) years.

LMK any other questions and I’ll update here.

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